Cheika praises tenacious Tahs

Tatafu Polota-Nau lost his two front teeth in the first 10 minutes and Dave Dennis picked up a cut to his knee described as the worst his coach Michael Cheika had ever seen.

But the Waratahs' act of collective self-sacrifice paid off handsomely against the Chiefs in New Plymouth on Saturday, netting them a drought-breaking win on New Zealand soil and the most convincing indication yet they are genuine Super Rugby title contenders.

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"It was a really hard-working effort, they just kept getting back up and there were some guys in a lot of pain and discomfort, and they were comfortable playing in that discomfort zone, which is a good sign for us.

"But there is still so much to do - we have another massive game coming up after the break."

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The Waratahs have three games to play in the regular season, including home games against the Highlanders and Brumbies and a final trip up to Brisbane to face the Reds.

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For a second week running they sit in the top two on the competition ladder, their goal achieved with three games in hand. But Cheika was not getting carried away.

"It is so tight and you can slip from anywhere," he said.

"What we've done is put pressure on everyone now to keep performing because the more rounds [you play] with other teams behind you, you're a chance.

"We're in there but we have big games, two against [top six] competitors [Brumbies and Highlanders] and one against our old enemy [Queensland] away from home, so it's going to be a great three weeks when we get back."

Polota-Nau, immense in defence alongside all of the NSW forwards, will require major dental work, while Dennis was taken to hospital for his cut, which he incurred before scoring the try that sparked the Waratahs' comeback.

"It's two weeks in a row [Dennis] played very well ... he's developing into a very good captain, he leads by example, and he's starting to understand what it is to be a leader and he showed that tonight," Cheika said.

Wycliff Palu will also require stitches for a wound and Sekope Kepu will be monitored for a knock to his ankle.

Cheika praised the maturity of the side to stick out a hairy 25 minutes when the momentum flowed the way of the Chiefs.

"You're not going to play against the Chiefs and go without them having periods in the game," he said.

"There was that period in the second half when we were getting penalised heavily and we weren't playing badly, we just couldn't get anything. They got the scores but we said we didn't want to change, we said we'd keep playing and confront that momentum and see what happens."

Halfback Nick Phipps was voted players' player for yet another career-best performance that was as varied as it was assured.

Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley stepped up to the mark set by All Blacks No.10 Aaron Cruden and again played decisive roles in the Waratahs' sophisticated attack.

Their performances bode well for the Wallabies' campaign against the French next week.

"One of the great things is that they're playing so well in tandem," Cheika said.

"[By using both] you can defer the heat and pressure sometimes and they're just that extra eye and runner sometimes. It's an old-fashioned way of playing I suppose but I'm sure that Bernard's growing in confidence all the time.

"Either lad, no matter what happens - and I'd love to see them play together there - if either one gets picked [at No.10] I'll be really happy for them."